


i can be your painkiller (the shoulder you cry on)

by ghostfaeries



Series: Trans Bats [5]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Angst, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dick is a firefighter, Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Married Couple, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Trans Character, Trans Dick Grayson, Trans Male Character, Trans Wally West, its minor but its there, just a tiny bit, so much cuddling, yes they r husbands
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:07:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24405523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghostfaeries/pseuds/ghostfaeries
Summary: “I-I couldn’t save her, Wally. I was too late. I couldn’t save her.”~Dick comes home upset. Luckily, he has Wally to comfort him.
Relationships: Dick Grayson/Wally West
Series: Trans Bats [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1850425
Comments: 7
Kudos: 108





	i can be your painkiller (the shoulder you cry on)

**Author's Note:**

> I did not plan this. It feels like that's gonna be a theme for me concerning DC fics. I was talking with my best friend abt Birdflash, got soft and here we are.  
> Oh btw, they're around 28 here and Dick's a firefighter. That last bit is semi important to the minimal plot this has.  
> Sorry if there's any mistakes, I barely proofread this and English is not my first language.
> 
> Title from Painkiller by Three Days Grace, which I listened to for about half the time of writing this fic event hough the vibes of the song don't match this at all
> 
> Warning for a mention of a child dying in a fire. There's nothing graphic and it's no one known, but jsyk, stay safe
> 
> Hope you enjoy :)

The door to their shared apartment opened, signalling Wally that Dick had arrived. He waited for his usual “I’m home!” call, but it stayed silent. Wally was certain it was Dick; he’d recognized the signature jingle of his enormous keyring – that's what having five siblings all with a different address does to you. Something was off. He stood up from the couch and was next to him in less than a second. 

Dick was standing in the still open doorway, hand on the doorknob, keys still in the lock. He was looking at the ground, his eyes hidden by his hair. 

“Hey, babe,” Wally said. 

Dick looked up at the sound of his voice and promptly broke down crying. 

“Woah, hey, sweetheart, what’s wrong?” Wally rushed to his side, cupping his face with his hands. 

_“Wally,”_ Dick choked out and threw himself into Wally’s arms. He cried into Wally’s chest, long, heartbreaking sobs that shook his whole body. 

Wally quickly led him to the couch he’d been sitting on moments before. The front door was still open, but that could wait. Dick was more important right now. He plopped down, pulling Dick on his lap. Wally just rubbed circles on his back, intent on letting him cry out whatever had caused it for the time being. He could find out what was wrong later, when Dick was more coherent. 

“There- there was a girl, a little girl,” Dick hiccupped after a few minutes. “I-I couldn’t save her, Wally. I was too late. I couldn’t save her.” 

Wally’s face fell. Dick always took children’s deaths the hardest. He tended to blame himself whenever someone succumbed to the fire, even if he couldn’t have done anything to prevent it. It was just who he was: a self-sacrificing, caring, compassionate idiot. Wally loved him for it. 

“Oh, Dickiebird,” He murmured. “I’m so sorry.” 

He held him tighter, stroking his hair in the way he knew relaxed him. It worked slightly. Dick’s cries quieted down until he was just silently crying into Wally’s shoulder. 

“She was so young,” Dick whispered, voice muffled by Wally’s shirt. “So young. Couldn’t have been older than Lian. And now she’s gone. She’s gone because I couldn’t save her.” 

“Shh,” Wally shushed him gently. “It wasn’t your fault, sweetheart. You did everything you could. Sometimes you just can’t save everyone, and it’s terrible and it really fucking _sucks_ , but that’s not on you.” 

Dick whimpered. “But it was my fault. I thought we had everyone and told my crew so, so everyone left the building, but then I heard crying. There was this little girl on the top of the stairwell. The building was about to come down around us, so I had to be quick. I tried, I _tried_ but I was too late. I- I wasn’t there for her, I wasn’t there for Jason when he died, I couldn’t save _Damian_ -” 

His voice broke as he choked on his tears, the sobs starting up again. 

Wally just let him cry it out, whispering reassurances. Dick seemed to have gotten most of it out of his system after a few minutes, so Wally carefully stood up, tugging him up with him gently. “Come on,” He said tenderly. “I’ll get this grime off of you and then we’re going to bed, okay?” 

Dick nodded silently, the day’s exhaustion catching up to him. Wally slowly walked them to the bathroom, setting Dick down onto the closed toiletseat as he sped through the apartment to close the front door and pick up some clean clothes and towels from their bedroom. When he returned to the bathroom seconds later, he found Dick staring at his scar littered hands. Wally turned the faucet on and crouched down in front of him, taking his hands. 

“Hey,” He said softly. “I love you.” 

Dick smiled weakly at him. “Love you too. 

Wally kissed his fingers one by one to the sound of the bath filling up behind them. He then pressed a kiss to the palm of his hand and looked up at him. “Let me help you with your clothes?” 

Dick said nothing, just nodded again. Wally quickly untied his shoe laces and Dick lifted his feet so Wally could take his shoes off. Wally stood up and slid Dick’s jacket off his shoulders, gently guiding his arms up so he could pull his shirt over his head. He unbuttoned his jeans, making him stand up so he could help him out of them and his boxers. When he was fully undressed, he guided him over the edge of the bath and let him sink into the warm water. 

Dick let out a sigh and relaxed. “Thanks, Walls,” He murmured. 

“Anytime, love,” Wally replied, soaking the washcloth he put to the side earlier. “Close your eyes.” He sat on the edge of the bath, gently wiping Dick’s face down. He went down to his neck and chest, tracing his top surgery scars. They were a couple years old now, he’d gotten it when he was twenty, Wally getting his surgery about a year later. He remembered both days fondly. Dick had been so happy, whenever he looked down at his chest he’d burst into tears. Wally smiled at the memory. 

He finished washing Dick’s body and put away the washcloth. He carded his now wet fingers through Dick’s hair. “Want me to wash it for you?” He asked. 

“Yes, please. Join me?” Dick looked at him with hopeful puppy dog eyes. Bart, the little shit, had taught him, so now Wally couldn’t say no to either of them anymore. 

He gave a kiss on the tip of Dick’s nose. “Sure, babe.” 

He undressed in a flash and stepped into the bath behind him, Dick sitting between his legs. He grabbed the showerhead and soaked Dick’s hair, putting a glob of shampoo on his hand and working it into his hair. Dick hummed relaxing into the soothing motion. 

“Close your eyes, love. They’re too pretty to ruin,” Wally grinned as he rinsed out the shampoo. 

“Don’t forget the conditioner,” Dick said when he was done. “Just because you insist on using that two-in-one crap doesn’t mean my hair has to suffer.” 

“Yeah, yeah,” Wally laughed. “I’m sure not using conditioner one time will doom your hair forever.” Despite his words, he reached out to grab the bottle, pressing a quick kiss to the nape of Dick’s neck before squeezing it above his head. 

“Don’t use too much,” Dick warned. “This was expensive!” 

“You’re a billionaire’s son, I’m sure you’ll manage,” Wally snorted. 

“Are you saying you think I should ask _Batman_ for money to buy _hair products?_ ” Dick asked. 

“Well, when you put it that way...” 

“If it weren’t for Alfred,” Dick continued. “I’d bet he’d just slick his hair back with sweat. The cowl produces enough, I’d know, I’ve worn it.” 

Wally swatted at his shoulder. “Gross.” 

“Don’t act like your hair doesn’t get soaked in your cowl. That thing is a nightmare.” 

“Okay, fair. Now shush or you’ll get conditioner in your mouth.” 

When Wally finished washing his hair, he leaned back, pulling Dick with him so they were back to chest. Dick laid his head on Wally’s shoulder, smiling up at him. 

“Hey,” He said. 

“Hey,” Wally said. “You doing better now?” 

“Yeah. Thanks, babe.” 

Wally snaked his arms around Dick’s waist, finding his hands and intertwining their fingers. Their wedding rings tinkled when they met. Wally turned his head, softly pressing his lips to Dick’s. Both of them were smiling too much to do it properly, but neither minded. 

They stayed in the bath until the water had gone cold, Dick tracing the freckles on Wally’s arms into constellations while Wally snuggled into his neck. Dick whined when Wally stirred. He’d closed his eyes and seemed to have been dozing off Wally chuckled. 

“Come on, Dickiebird, don’t fall asleep on me now. We’ve got to get out some time.” He said, laugh shining through his voice. “I’ll make it quick, promise. Fastest man alive, remember?” 

“As you’ve said many, many times,” Dick murmured sleepily. 

“And I’ll say it again. Now shoo so I can get up.” 

Dick grumbled but sat up, allowing Wally to step out of the bath. He zipped into a clean pair of Nightwing themed PJs, air drying automatically and pulled the drain. He then held out a towel for Dick, gesturing for him to get out with his head. Dick complied, allowing Wally to wrap him in it. Wally set him down on the toilet and got another towel to start drying his hair. Technically, he could use his superspeed for this, but he preferred doing it the slow way. He enjoyed tousling Dick’s hair and seeing the newly dried locks fall over his forehead, and Dick’s face always scrunched up cutely whenever he dried his hair like this. He got such an adorable tiny wrinkle on his face, Wally kissed it. 

When he was done, he flung the towel in the general direction of the laundry basket, resolving silently to pick it up later when it fell short and landed on the floor. He went on to dry the rest of Dick’s body, helping him into his Flash themed pyjamas. (Tim had given them the matching pyjamas as a gag gift last Christmas, but joke’s on him because they both wore them unironically.) 

He took him by the hand and led them to the bedroom. “Come on, nap time.” 

“It’s like six pm,” Dick pointed out as he was dragged across the apartment. “Little late for a nap, isn’t it?” 

“Shush,” Wally said. “You need to rest and I’m gonna cuddle you until you fall asleep and there’s nothing you can do about it. Dinner can wait.” 

“You? Holding off dinner for me? I’m honoured,” Dick joked, putting a hand to his heart and swooning dramatically. 

Wally turned to him as he opened the door, getting up close. Their noses were nearly touching and he smirked. “Just for you, _husband_.” 

They’d gotten married only a few months ago, and Wally had quickly discovered he could make Dick blush by merely mentioning it. He didn’t disappoint this time either. Dick smiled dopily, a flush spreading over his cheeks. 

“Yeah... Husband...” He sighed dreamily. 

Wally returned the smile and kissed him. Dick clumsily reciprocated, being caught off guard. Wally broke away, gently nudging Dick toward the bed. 

“Get in, I’ll be a sec, forgot to grab a pair of socks earlier.” 

“Oh yeah, right, cause you're one of those heathens who wears socks in bed.” Dick turned up his nose in distaste. 

“Hey! I get cold easily when not moving, you know that!” Wally protested, hopping on one leg so he could tug his socks on. 

“Then get in here so I can cuddle you warm,” Dick said, holding up the duvet, allowing Wally to slip under it. Wally laid down on the pillow, tugging Dick down on top of him. Dick put his hands under his chin, looking down at Wally with a smile. 

“What?” Wally questioned. “Is there something on my face?” 

“Yeah,” Dick said. “This” He touched one of the freckles on his nose. “And this.” He poked one on his cheek. “And this-” 

“Okay, okay, I get it,” Laughed Wally, grabbing his wrist to keep him from continuing. “What’s with your obsession with my freckles anyway?” 

Dick shrugged the best he could from his position. “Just think they’re adorable.” 

“Oh.” Wally flushed, the blush obvious on his pale skin. Dick grinned. 

“That’s also adorable.” 

Wally swatted at him. “Oh, stop it, you. Like you can say anything, Mr. “I make heads turn just by existing” Grayson-West.” 

Dick smiled at the reminder of their shared name. “Good thing I only look at you, Mr. Grayson-West.” 

Wally caressed his cheek. “Yeah,” He breathed. “I’m yours, pretty bird.” 

Dick leaned forward so he could press their lips together. They lazily kissed for a moment. Dick pulled away but stayed close, their foreheads touching so they were breathing the same air. Dick gave him one last quick peck then got comfortable on his chest, tangling his legs with Wally’s. He put his head in its usual place, in the crook of Wally’s neck, his breath tickling the skin there lightly. Wally put his arms around Dick’s torso in an embrace, holding him close. He slipped his hands under his shirt, slowly running them up and down his back. 

“Walls?” Dick mumbled. 

“Yeah?” 

“Thanks. For tonight, I mean.” 

"Of course, Dickiebird. I love you.” 

“Love you, too.” 

They quieted again, and the both of them slipped into peaceful slumber, hearts beating in sync. 

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to leave a comment, this was my first time writing Birdflash and Wally in general so I hope I did well. It feels a bit ooc but eh I just wanted fluff.
> 
> I hope you liked it!
> 
> My DC tumblr blog: autistic-damian-wayne


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